Matthew 15 · Verse 17

Matthew 15:17

Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

Matthew 15:17, King James Version

Matthew 15:17 in other translations

BSB	“Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated?
WEB	Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly and then out of the body?
ASV	Perceive ye not, that whatsoever goeth into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
YLT	do ye not understand that all that is going into the mouth doth pass into the belly, and into the drain is cast forth?
DARBY	Do ye not yet apprehend, that everything that enters into the mouth finds its way into the belly, and is cast forth into the draught?
BBE	Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth goes on into the stomach, and is sent out as waste?
Webster	Do ye not yet understand, that whatever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

What does Matthew 15:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 15:17-18

17-18. Do not ye yet understand that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, &c.--Familiar though these sayings have now become, what freedom from bondage to outward things do they proclaim, on the one hand; and on the other, how searching is the truth which they express--that nothing which enters from without can really defile us; and that only the evil that is in the heart, that is allowed to stir there, to rise up in thought and affection, and to flow forth in voluntary action, really defiles a man!

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 17. Do not ye yet understand, etc. The meaning of this may be thus expressed: The food which is eaten does not affect the mind, and therefore cannot pollute it. The doctrine of the Pharisees, that neglect of washing and of similar observances defiles a man, cannot be true. Those things pertain to the body as much as food does, and they cannot affect the soul. That must be purified by something else than external washing; and it is polluted by other things than a neglect of mere outward ceremonies. The seat of corruption is within. It is the heart itself; and if men would be made pure, this must be cleansed. If that is corrupt, the whole man is corrupt.

(l) "mouth goeth" Lk 6:45, Jas 3:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 17 Cast out into the draught - Εις αφεδωνα, - And beeth into the forthgoing a sent - what is not fit for nourishment is evacuated; is thrown into the sink. This I believe to be the meaning of this difficult and variously translated word, αφεδρων. Diodati translates it properly, nella latrina, into the privy. And the Persian translator has given a good paraphrase, and appears to have collected the general meaning her teche der dehen ander ayeed, az nusheeb beeroon rood, we ber zemeen aftad: "Whatsoever enters into the mouth goes downward, and falls upon the ground." Michaelis, and his annotator, Dr. Marsh, have been much perplexed with this perplexing passage. See Michaelis's Introduction, vol. i. note 35. p. 458.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 15:10-20

Christ shows that the defilement they ought to fear, was not from what entered their mouths as food, but from what came out of their mouths, which showed the wickedness of their hearts. Nothing will last in the soul but the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit; and nothing should be admitted into the church but what is from above; therefore, whoever is offended by a plain, seasonable declaration of the truth, we…

Read the full comment on Matthew 15:10-20 →

Matthew 15:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οὐouSurelyG3756

νοεῖτεnoeiteunderstand youG3539

ὅτιhotithatG3754

πᾶνpaneverythingG3956

τὸtowhichG3588

εἰσπορευόμενονeisporeuomenonenteringG1531

εἰςeisintoG1519

τὸtotheG3588

στόμαstomamouthG4750

εἰςeisintoG1519

τὴνtēntheG3588

κοιλίανkoilianstomachG2836

χωρεῖchōreigoesG5562

καὶkaiandG2532

εἰςeisintoG1519

ἀφεδρῶναaphedrōna[the] sewerG856

ἐκβάλλεται;ekballetaiis cast out?G1544

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 15:17

Luke 6:45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
1 Corinthians 6:13
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
Matthew 7:19-20
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Colossians 2:21-22
(Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
2 Kings 10:27
And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

that.
7:19,20; Lu 6:45; 1Co 6:13; Col 2:21,22; Jas 3:6
and is.
2Ki 10:27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 15:16
And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
Matthew 15:17
Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Matthew 15:18
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Read all of Matthew 15

Matthew 15:17 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¿No entendéis aún, que todo lo que entra en la boca, va al vientre, y es echado en la letrina?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	N’entendez-vous pas encore que tout ce qui entre dans la bouche va dans le ventre, et passe ensuite dans les lieux d’aisances?
German Elberfelder 1871	Begreifet ihr noch nicht, daß alles, was in den Mund eingeht, in den Bauch geht und in den Abort ausgeworfen wird?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Non intelligitis quia omne quod in os intrat, in ventrem vadit, et in secessum emittitur?